The Blue Jackets have fired head coach Todd Richards and hired John Tortorella. The Blue Jackets now owe the Canucks a second round pick.
- Pierre LeBrun: Compensation rule: It is a second round draft pick for ‘in-season’ hiring of a Coach/GM/President of Hockey Operations. A third round pick if it occurs in the ‘offseason.’
- Chris Johnston: Compensation is more for in-season hires as the team presumably then has to then go out and hire someone new.
- Pierre LeBrun: The Blue Jackets have until June 1st to decided if the second round pick in is 2016, 2017 or 2018.
- Bob McKenzie: Tortorella’s deal with the Blue Jackets is for this year, and two more years – what he had left on his Canucks deal. The Canucks are paying some of his contract.
- Pierre LeBrun: It is the same term and money that was left on the Canucks, who are paying a post of it.
- Cap Friendly: If the above is the case, Tortorella will get $2 million a year – he signed a five-year, $10 million contract with the Canucks in 2013.
- Elliotte Friedman: Negotiation with Tortorella started yesterday. He was hired approximately at 1:30 am.
- Brian Lawton: “You can & would think CBJ GM would call 1st to say we want to interview……but only if you will take less than 2nd”
Roster/Injury Notes ….
- Renaud Lavoie: On waivers: Bobby Sanguinetti (Buf), Tom Kuhnhackl (Pit) and Karri Ramo (Cgy).
- Dobber Hockey: “If you sign a goalie for $3.8 million you pretty much commit yourself to giving him more than 3 games to earn it. Unless you’re Calgary.”
- Pat Leonard: Tanner Glass cleared waivers and was assigned to the AHL by the Rangers.
- Darren Dreger: Curtis Glencross said that he’s retiring from the NHL. “We have weighed our options and with the young family I’m enjoying a lot of firsts with them.”
- Rich Chere: The Devils have assigned Reid Boucher to the AHL.
- Pittsburgh Penguins: The Penguins have assigned Tim Erixon to the AHL.
- David Alter: Maple Leafs Tyler Bozak wasn’t at their morning skate and will miss tonight’s game against the Sabres.
- David Alter: Maple Leafs Jake Gardiner has an unspecific injury and is day-to-day.
- Nicholas Goss: Bruins coach Claude Julien said that Patrice Bergeron missed their morning skate for personal reasons. Matt Beleskey is out tonight with an upper-body injury.
- Bob Stauffer: Oilers lineup changes: Andrew Ference in for Griffin Reinhart and Anton Slepyshev for Luke Gazdic.
Starting Goalies …
- Sam Carchidi: Michal Neuvirth will start in net for the Flyers against Tuukka Rask and the Bruins.
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Mike Babcock confirms that Jonathan Bernier will start in net tonight.
- Joe Yerdon: Chad Johnson will start in net for the Sabres.
- Brendan Savage: Petr Mrazek will start in net for the Red Wings tonight and on Saturday. Jimmy Howard will start in net on Friday.
- Jack Michaels: Cam Talbot will start in net for the Oilers.
- Colorado Avalanche: Semyon Varlamov will start in net.